Controlling grain and contrast in color photography



April 24, 1956 l. SALMINEN 2,742,832

CONTROLLING GRAIN AND CONTRAST IN COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Filed Feb. 17, 1955DE/VS/TY RELATIVE L06 EXPOSURE /L MARI SALM/NE/V IN V EN TOR.

ATTOR/VE 8 AGENT United States Patent-IO CONTROLLING GRAIN AND CONTRASTIN COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Ilmari Salminen, Rochesteig N. Y., assignor toEastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New JerseyApplication February 17, 1955, Serial N 0. 488,957

18 Claims. (Cl. 95-6) halide developing agent in the presence of couplercom- 7 pounds which react with the oxidized developing agent to formdyes. In such a process of dye'image formation, commonly called colordevelopment, the dyes which are formed generally have relatively highcovering power. Thus in a color developed image, consisting of a dyeimage and a silver image, the dye image exhibits a much higher densityto light in the wavelength region corresponding to its absorption handthan does its accompanying silver image. For this reason a conventionalemulsion layer, which on normal black-and-white processing yields anormal contrast silver image, produces a dye image on color developmentwhich has such excessive contrast that it is not usable in a colorphotographic process. 1

In order to overcome this intensification effect of color development,it is usually necessary to use, in color'photographic materials,muchless silver halide in the emulsion layers than the amounts normally usedin conventional black-and-white sensitive'materials. Serious andundesirable consequences of such a reduction in silver halide content ofthe emulsion layers are that the emulsion speed is reduced, thecolor-developed dye images have a coarsegrained structure, and a loss inimage sharpness and definition occurs.

It would appear that this difficulty might be circumvented by usingsilver halide emulsions which are inherently finer grained so that theemulsion layers would have the same total silver halide contentdistributed among a larger number of grains. Unfortunately, this simplesolution cannot be realized in those cases where emulsion speed is ofimportance, because the speed of a silver halide emulsion is, ingeneraL'directly related to the grainsize. Accordingly, for those colorphotographic materials where high emulsion speed is a necessaryproperty, the relatively coarserrgrained silver halide emulsions must beemployed and alternative solutions to the problems of g'raininess, andsharpness anddefinitionof the dye images must be sought. I

I have 'now discovered that a solution to this problem is attained whenthe silver halide emulsion layers containing relatively large amounts ofsilver halide or color developed in the presence of an agent which iscapable of reacting with the oxidized developing agent, with the resultthat a portion of the total oxidized developer formed during developmentis rendered unavailable fordye image diflusible into the silver halideemulsion layers.

Patented Apr. 251, 6

'2 formation. In effect, the added agent competes with the coupler forthe oxidized developer and thereby permits the formation during colordevelopment of an amount of oxidized developer in excess of thatrequired to produce dye images of normal contrast. 7 This, in turn,permits the use of larger amounts of silver halide in the emulsionlayers, and. as the end result one obtains dye images of the desirednormal contrast which do not have the exaggerated graininess and lowsharpness and definition which characterizethe images produced by conventional color development procedures.

One object of my invention, therefore, is to'provide a process forobtaining dye images with improved graininess and sharpnesscharacteristics. A further object is to provide a method for obtainingdye images of normal contrast by color development of silver halideemulsion layers which contain amounts of silver halide in excess of thatrequired for the production of dye images by conventional colordevelopment procedures. Another object of the invention resides inrepressing theinterimage effects which result from the wandering ofoxidized developer, for example, from one layer to another in multilayercolor film.

That is, the competing coupler reacts with such wandering oxidizeddeveloping agent is prevented from forming an insoluble dye image in thewrong region of the film. Other objects will become apparent from thefollowing more detailed description .of my invention.

The objects of my invention are preferably accomplished by using, forthe formation of colored photographic images, silver halide emulsionlayers containing amounts of silver halide in excess of thoserequired'to produce images of normal contrast when conventional colordevelopment is carried out, and conductingthe color development of suchemulsion layer in the presence of a compound, referred to hereinafter asa competing coupler, which competes with'another coupler present for theoxidized developer. The competing couplers appear to react with theoxidized developing agent to produce a Color development processesutilizing color ,development as the means of dye image formation areconven- 'iently divided into two classifications, which difier in themethod of introducing the couplers into the system. The first type ofsuch processes makes use of couplers which are soluble in the colordeveloper solution and which are Here the dye-forming reactions occurbetween two components of the color developer solution to producea dyewhich is nondiffusible. 'In the second type of'color processes,non-ditfusing image-forming couplers are incorporated in the silverhalide emulsion layers and the coupling reactions occur between theseincorporated couplers and the primary aromatic amino developing agentsupplied from the color developer solution as shown in Mannes et al. U.S. Patent 2,304,940 and Jelley and Vittum U. S. Patent 2,322,027. Myinvention is applicable to both types of color processes. In the firsttype of process which employs soluble diifusible couplers, the colordeveloper solution contains ,the color developing agent,,thedye-image-forming coupler, and'the competing coupler. With the colorprocess employing incorporated nondififusing image-forming couplers, thedeveloper solution contains the color developing agent and the competingcou- 3 pler, or alternatively, the competing coupler can also beincorporated in the silver Halide emulsion layers.

As used herein, by competing coupler is meant one which can beincorporated in the developer or emulsion layer and which forms asoluble dye which quickly diffuses out of the emulsion layer, and byimage-forming coupler is meant one which can be incorporated in thedeveloper or emulsion layer, but forms a comparatively permanent,non-ditfusing dye.

The accompanying drawings show by means of graphical representation theeffect upon contrast ct utilizing one of the competing couplers in thecolor development of a multilayer color film containing non-difiusingimageforming coupler compounds in the emulsion layers.

Weller and Groet U. S. Patent No. 2,689,793, granted September 21, 1954discloses the use of certain compounds as competing couplers. However,the competing couplers of my invention are generally more useful thanthe sulfonated naphthol and pyrazolone couplers illustrating the Welleret al. invention, partly because those sulfonated compounds are somewhatmore reactive as competing couplers than is desired and only a smallconcentration of those couplers is used in the developer solution togive the desired reduction in dye contrast. Because of this lowconcentration, the developing solution in the emulsion becomes locallyexhausted with respect to the sulfonated coupler compound in areas ofconsiderable development. This may cause, for example, in the redsensitive emulsion of a color film, a much greater contrast reduction inareas of red exposure as compared with areas where the red-sensitiveemulsion has received the same exposure in the form of an exposure towhite light. This situation leads to undesirable interimage effects inmulti-layer films. On the other hand, because the competing couplercompounds of the present inventibn have a lower reactivity than thementioned sulfonated coupler compounds, they can be used in higherconcentrations in the developer solution and consequently the localexhaustion efiects are minimized. However, the reactivity of thecompeting coupler compounds of my invention is sutficiently high thatexcessively large concentrations are not required to give the desireddegree of contrast reduction. Color development has previously beencarried out in the presence of a mixture of couplers in emulsion layersas disclosed in Schneider et al. U. S. Patent 2,186,736, granted January9, 1950, to obtain a colored image and in Vittum and Arnold U. S. Patent2,428,054, granted September 30, 1947. However, these patentscontemplate the use only of mixtures of image-forming couplers and donot contemplate the use of mixtures of image-forming couplers andcompeting couplers as in the present invention. Similarly, my inventionis separate and distinct from any known use of a mixture of couplers incolor developing solutions that form images of nonditfusing dyes.

The competing couplers which areemployed in my invention in conjunctionwith image-forming couplers are 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid,2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid, and derivatives of these compoundshaving the general formula:

Rio- (5-012,

wherein R represents a member of the class consisting "of hydroxyl,alkoxyl groups, e. g. methoxyl, ethoxyl,

sisting of a hydrogen atom and an acyl group of an organicacid, e. g.acetyland lauroyl, Xand Y represent the carbon atoms necessary tocomplete a 6-membered ring, and Z represents a member of the classconsisting of a nitrogen atom and the group CH=.

The competing couplers having this formula have a nuclear positioncapable of coupling with the oxidation product of a primary aromaticamino silver halide developing agent produced in color developmentprocesses.

Representative compounds useful in my invention as competing couplersand having the above general formula are the following 1.2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid C O OH HO OH 2. 3,5-dihydroxybcnzoic acid(|JOOH Example I The use 'of 2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid as a compet-.ing coupler in the processing by the reversal process of a multilayercolor film is now given in particular reference to the "accompanyingdrawing.

A multilayer color film is provided having coated on a film base ared-sensitized silver halide emulsion layer having dispersed therein thecyan-forming coupler compound, 2-(diamylphenoxyacetamido) 4,6 dichloro5- methylphenol. Over this emulsion layer is coated a thin gelatinlayer, and then a green-sensitized emulsion layer containing adispersion of the magenta-forming coupler compound,1-(2',4',6'trichloropheny1)-3-[3"(2,4"'-diamylphenoxyacetamido)benzanfidol-S-pyrazolone.Next 'is coated a yellow filter layer containing colloidal silver as the"colorant, and over this is coated a blue-sensitive silver halideemulsion layer containing the yellow-forming coupler compound,N-(4-benzoylacetaminobenzenc- 'sulfonyl) #N- ('y-phenyl-propyl)-p-toluidine. All of the coupler compounds in this multilayer coatingare dispersed by the method of the Ielley and Vittum patent named above.Each of the emulsion layers contains from l50- 200mg. of silver (assilver halide), an amount considerably higher than would be used in areversal film designed for normal processing. 'lf'wo strips of themultilayer coating were given an equal exposure behind a step-tabletsilver scale and then simultaneously put through the followingprocessing steps (allbathsat75F.):' 1

Reversal exposure:

sec. at 1 foot from a No. 2 flood lamp Wash 3 Each of the strips wasthen placed in a color developer solution containingN-ethyl-N-(,S-methanesulfonttmidO- ethyl)-3-methyl-4-aminoanilinesulfate as the color developing agent, one of the .color developersolutions cout-aining no competing coupler and the other containing 5grams per liter, of 2,6-dihydroxyi sonicotinic acid as the competingcoupler. The time ofcolor development was 12-minutes for both strips.Following the color development, the two stripswere put'through theremainder of the processing cycle together, as follows:

. Min. Wash 5 Clearing and fixing bath- 5 Rinse 1 Ferricyanide bleachbath 8 Rinse 1 Fixing bath 3 Wash 3 Dry The densities of the resultingneutral step-tablet images were then read through red, green, and bluefilters to obtain the sensitometric curves of the cyan, magenta, andyellow dye images shown in the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, curves (3, M and Y show the contrast of thecyan, magenta and yellow dye images developed as described in theabsence of the competing coupler compound, and in general such contrastsare higher than desired. Curves Ca, Ma and Ya show the lower contrastsof the cyan, magenta and yellow dye images obtained through developmentin the presence of the competing coupler compound. Itis apparenttherefrom that the employment of the competing coupler compound in thedevelopment of the emulsion layers rich in silver halide has lowered thecontrast of the dye images to the desired contrast of the process.

Aswill be apparent, the competing couplers of the invention may also beincorporated into one or more of Exa mple II The use of a competingcoupler compound in a mixed grain or packet emulsion system of colorphotography is illustrated as follows:

A single-layer, two-color mixed packet coating capable of development toproduce cyan and magenta images, was prepared on film base, using themethod described in U. S. Patent 2,698,794, granted January 4, 1955.

Two strips of the coating were given equal exposure through a steptablet and then simultaneously put through the following processingsteps (all baths at 70 B):

Each of the strips was placed in a color developer solution containing2-methyl-4-diethylamino aniline as the color developing agent, one ofthe color developer solutions containing no competing coupler and theother containing 10grams per liter of 2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid asthe competing coupler. The time of color developmentwas 10' minutes forboth strips.- Following the color development, the two strips were putthrough the remainder of the processing cycle together, as follows:

. Min.

Wash 1 Acid stop bath 10 Wash 20 Ferricyanide bleach bath 10 Wash 5Fixing bath 10 Wash 20 Visual or'microscopic examination of the twoprocessed strips showed much less color contamination in the strip 7which had been color developed in the presence of the competing coupler.

Thus, as in the case of the multilayer color films, when the competingcoupler compound is employed in the matrix of a mixed packet emulsion,or in the particle containing silver halide and image-forming couplercompound, it tends to prevent wandering of oxidized developing agentthrough the matrix from packet to packet and thus diminishes interimageeffects. V p

The more soluble competing coupler compounds of the invention such ascompoundsNos. 1 to 4, 9, 10, 13 to 15 and 19 are preferably incorporatedintoemulsions such as illustrated in Examples Land I]. above as theiralkali metal salts. All of the coupler compounds may however bedispersed in such emulsion layers by means of oily coupler solvents bymeans ot the methods of the above patents. The esterified competingcouplers illustrated above when used in emulsions can be expected tohydrolyze during the development process. to yield eventually thesoluble dyes capable of being Washed out- 'i A comparison of theactivity. of representatives competing couplers of the invention wascarried out in the following manner. A fast bromo-iodide film wasprovided by the methods of the above patents having dis-- persed in theemulsion layer the cyan forming coupler compoundZ-(diamylphenoxyacetamido)-4,6 dichloro-S- methyl phenol. A sample ofthe film was exposed under an image having graduated density anddeveloped in a conventional color developer free of coupler compoundssuch as shown in the-above patents, followed by removal of the silverimage and fixation. The density values of the silver image obtained aswell as the density values of the dye image were noted.

Other samples of the single layer color film above containing thecoupler compound in the emulsion layer were processed in the same mannerexcept the developing solution contained the selected competing coupler.The silver density and the dye density values, of the developed samplesof film were then noted. In the following table are tabulatedtheincrease in silver density and decrease in dye density efiected by useof the various competing couplers in the developing solution:

Silver Deu- Dye Den- I Competing Coupler No. sity Inslty Decrease creasein reacting with excess oxidized color developer and thus.

7 diminishing its retarding effects upon silver halide-development.

The above tabulated values of decrease indye density are obtained bysubtraction of the dye densities obtained by development of each sampleof coupler-containing emulsion in the presence of the respectivecompeting couplers, from the dye'density values of the check sample.Accordingly, these dye density decrease values reflect the competitionbetween the competing coupler and the'imageforming coupler compound inthe emulsion, for the oxidized developing agent produced in thedevelopment process, and further illustrate the etfectiven ess of thediffusing competing couplers of the invention in lowering contrast ofdye images obtained from the image-forming coupler compound. Similarresults are obtained when the couplers of the invention are employed incolor developing compositions also containing image-forming couplers orwhen employed in emulsion layers also containing imageforming couplercompounds, as well as when the emulsions contain the competing couplercompounds of the invention and the image-forming coupler compounds arepresent in the color developing solution.

The following compounds are representative of related coupler compoundswhich show little activity as competing couplers:

2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid4-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-resorcinol Salicylic acid m-Hydroxybenzoic acid4-n-propyl-2,6-pyridinediol Z-carboxy-S-ethoxy phenol 2-amino-6-hydroxypyridine sulfate S-acetamido-Z-carboxy phenol The more soluble diffusingcouplers of the invention such as couplers Nos. 1 to 4, 9, 10, 13 to 15and 19 can be used in color developing solutions in a manner similar tothe above examples, the esterified coupler compounds, of course,hydrolyzing to some extent in the alkaline color developing solution.The quantity of competing coupler in the developing solutions, as in thecase when the competing couplers are in the emulsion layers, depends inpart upon the desired reduction in dye contrast and the couplingactivity of the image-forming coupler employed in the process.

My process is primarily designed for, although not limited to use insystems of color photography employing superposed emulsion layerssensitized to the primary regions of the visible spectrum and containingin the respective emulsion layers nonditfusing image-forming couplercompounds yielding differently colored dye images. When my invention isemployed as described with these superimposed emulsion layers anddevelopment is carried out in a color-forming developer compositioncontaining a competing coupler yielding a diffusible dye, the contrastand grain characteristics of the dye images in all emulsion layers areimproved substantially. The contrast reduction is illustrated in thedrawings. Such films may be utilized in the well-known negative-positiveand reversal color development processes in the manner described in theabove examples.

The silver halide concentration per unit areas of the emulsion layersemployed in my invention is that necessary to reduce the contrast andgrain to the desired value and can be varied within rather wide limitsdepending upon the result desired and the particular process which isunder consideration. Substantial improvements in grain characteristicsare obtained by using at least about 50 milligrams per square foot ofemulsion and preferably about 2 to 25 times the usual silver halideconcentration of incorporated coupler'proccsses, or from about 50 to 750milligrams of' silver halide (calculated as silver) per square foot ofemulsion. As'is apparent, if the emulsions '8 contain substantially morethan about 50 milligrams of silver per square foot, normal colordevelopment in absence of diffusible coupler compounds yields greatercon trast than usually desired in color processes.

The quantity of competing diffusible coupler which is used in the colordeveloping compositions is dependent upon a number of factors. One ofthese is the relative coupling activity of the image-forming couplerscompared to that of the competing couplers. In a given color system asuitable type and quantity of competing coupler can be readilyascertained. Another factor is the contrast desired in the particularcolor process under consideration. That is, in a color printing processa contrast of 2.5 may be desired, whereas in a negative color process, acontrast of only about 0.7 may be desired. More competing diffusiblecoupler can be employed in conjunction with the latter process to effecta greater reduction in contrast. We naturally use sufiicient competingcouplers in the developer composition that after color development ofthe emulsion layers containing coupler compound followed by Washing outthe diifusible dye image, there are obtained nonditfusible dye imageshaving the contrast of the process under consideration, such ascontrasts of the order of about 0.5 to 2.5.

In connection with multilayer color films for which our process isparticularly adapted, these color films may contain in the respectiveemulsion layers nondiffusible imageforming couplers of different coupleractivity. Therefore, the relative increase in the silver halideconcentration required in the emulsion layers may differ depending uponthe coupling characteristics of the couplers in each emulsion layer.

It will be apparent that my invention can be used in conjunction withmany types of emulsion layers regardless of silver halide concentrationto atfect contrast and grain favorably. While the faster and coarsergrained emulsions of the concentration indicated are particularlyadapted to use in our process, for some purposes the finer-grainedemulsions can be used but the alteration in contrast and grain of thedye images contained therefrom is less pronounced.

The invention is particularly applicable to use in conjunction withmultilayer color films containing colored color-forming couplercompounds such as disclosed in U. S. Patents 2,428,054 and 2,499,966.Likewise mixed grain photographic elements such as described in U. S.Patents 2,490,749 and 2,490,751 are adapted to use in my process for thementioned purposes of utilizing couplercontaining mixed-grain emulsionshaving silver halide concentrations of the order indicated anddeveloping such emulsions with color developer compositions containingcompeting coupler compounds such as illustrated.

As indicated, the soluble competing couplers forming diffusible dyes,such as mentioned, can be used in color developing compositions alsocontaining soluble coupler compounds forming substantially nondifiusibledyes. The nondifiusible dyes then remain in the photographic layerforming the color photographic image whereas the diffusible dye imagesformed along with them in color development leach out of thephotographic layers in washing. Such developer compositions areparticularly useful for the development of dye images in emulsion layersdevoid of coupler compounds; however, the etlect obtained may besomewhat difierent from the case when the competing coupler is in thedeveloper and the image-forming coupler is in the emulsion.

A useful application of the process of my invention is in the productionof monochrome fine-grain dye images in processes normally employing onlyblack-and-white materials and processing. For example, in processes inwhich a'fine-grain silver image is usually employed it was found that myprocess could be used to obtain the requisite fine-grain image with asubstantial increase in the efiective emulsion speed, or alternately areduction in graininess without loss of effective emulsion speed. Theprocess was carried out substantially as set forthin the above examplesemploying the image-forming coupler or mixture of differentimage-forming couplers in the emulsion and the competing coupler in thecolor-developing solution, the silver image being removed from theemulsion'following development leaving a fine-grained dye image.Alternately, both the image-forming coupler and the competing couplercan be used in the developer which permits the use of conventionalblack-and-white' sensitive materials.

What I claim is: i

l. A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprisesdeveloping an exposed silver halide emulsion layer with a colordeveloping solution containing a primary aromatic amino silver halidedeveloping agent, said development being carried out in the presence ofboth an image-forming coupler compound, and a competing coupler compoundhaving the general formula:

wherein R represents a member of the class consisting of 2. A processfor preparing colored photographic images which comprises exposing to asubject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing animage-forming coupler compound, developing the exposed emulsion layerwith a color-developing solution containing a primary aromatic aminosilver halide developing agent, said development being carried out inthe presence of a competing coupler compound having the general formula:

wherein R represents a member of the class consisting of hydroxyl,alkoxyl and amido groups, R1 and R2 each represent a member of the classconsisting of a hydrogen atom and an acyl group, X and Y represent thecarbon atoms necessary to complete a 6-membered ring, and Z represents amember of the class consisting of a nitrogen atom and the group CH=, toobtain in the exposed region of the developed emulsion layer both aditfusible dye from the competing coupler compound and a nonditfusibledye image from the image-forming coupler compound, and washing theditfusible dye from the emulsion layer.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein both the imageforming coupler compoundand the designated competing coupler compound are present in theemulsion layer prior to the development step.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein the image-forming coupler compound ispresent in the emulsion layer prior ,to the development step and thedesignated competing coupler compound is present in the color developingsolution. a 5. The process of claim 2 wherein both .the imageformingcoupler compound andthe designated competing coupler compound arepresent; in the color developing solution.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein the competing coupler compoundvdesignated is present'inl the emulsion layer prior to the developmentstep and the emulsion layer is a mixed grain emulsion layer. r 7. Aprocess for preparing colored photographic images which comprisesexposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layercontaining an image-forming coupler compound, developing the exposedemulsion layer with a color developing solution containing a primaryaromatic amino silver halide developing agent, said development beingcarried out in the presence of 2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid, to obtainin the exposed region of the developed emulsion layer both a difiusibledye from 2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid and a nondifiusible dye image,from the image-forming coupler compound, and washing the difiusibledyefrom the emulsion layer.

' 8. A process for preparing colored photographic images which comprisesexposing to a subject a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layercontaining an image-forming coupler compound, developing the exposedemulsion layer with a color' developing solution containing a primaryaromatic amino silver halide developing agent, said development beingcarried out in the presence of 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, to obtain inthe exposed region. of the developed emulsion layer both a diffusibledye from 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and a nonditfusible dye image fromthe image-forming coupler compound, and washing the diffusible dye fromthe emulsion layer.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the 2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid ispresent in the emulsion layer prior to the development step.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein the 2,6-dihydroxywherein R representsa member of the class consisting of hydroxyl, alkoxyl and amido groups,R1 and R2 each represent a member of the class consisting of a hydrogenatom and an acyl group, X and Y represent the carbon atoms necessary tocomplete a 6-membered ring, and Z represents a member of the classconsisting of a nitrogen atom and the group CH=.

14. A light-sensitive photographic emulsion comprising silver halide, animage-forming coupler compound and a competing coupler compound havingthe general formula:

wherein R represents amember of'th'e class consisting of hydroxyl,alkoxyl and amido groups, R1 and R2 each represent a member-of the classconsisting of a hydrogen atom and an acyl group, X and Y represent thecarbon atoms necessary to complete a 6-membered ring, and Z represents amember of the class consisting of a nitrogen atom and the group -CH=.

15. A light-sensitive photographic emulsion comprising silver halide, animage-forming coupler compound and 2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid.

16. A light-sensitivephotographic emulsion comprising silver-halide, animage-forming coupler compound and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid. Y

17. A photographic color developing solution comprising an alkalinematerial, a primary aromatic amino silver halide developing agent, and2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic-acid.

18. A photographic color developing solution comprising analkalinematerial, a primary aromatic amino silver halide developingagent, and 3,5-clihydroxybcnzoic acid.

No references cited.

1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING COLORED PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES WHICH COMPRISESDEVELOPING AN EXPOSED SILVER HALIDE EMULSION LAYER WITH A COLORDEVELOPING SOLUTION CONTAINING A PRIMARY AROMATIC AMINO SILVER HALIDEDEVELOPING AGENT, SAID DEVELOPMENT BEING CARRIED OUT IN THE PRESENCE OFBOTH IMAGE-FORMING COUPLER COMPOUND, AND A COMPETING COUPLER COMPOUNDHAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA: